painting tails?

[Mermaid Maris]

What can I use to paint a spandex tail?

[UtahMermaidPearl]

Fabric spray paint. That's what I used.

[UtahMermaidPearl]

And puff paint for details

[Luna Dreamtide]

Heat set fabric paints (also screen printing inks) often maintain flexibility when dry. Those are good choices.

[PrettyStrongBec]

How long does it last? If I wanted to paint scales on a bathing suit bottom, would it last?

[Dancing Fish]

I second fabric spraypaints. Be aware that it's hard to get light paint colors on dark spandex to look bright--you'll need way more paint, and it can crack when it gets too thick. I found it really tough to blend colors by hand, too (the paint beads up on the spandex instead of being absorbed). Airbrushing it works really well, though.

I coated our painted tail in a light layer of silicone (looks great after a year!) so I couldn't say how long it would last without that protection.